Steam-blower



(No Model.)

W. MOCLAVB. STEAM BLOWER.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM MCCLAVE, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-BLOWER.

SPECIFICATION formingY part of Letters Patent No. 281,774, dated July 24, 188,3.

Application filed May 1, 1883. (No model.) i

To all whom it may' concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoCLAvE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of the air and steam is effected, and the same discharged up amid the mass of -fuel upon the grate of a furnace for the purpose of facilitating the combustion of the same.

My improvement will be fully understood from the following description, claims, and

accompanying drawings, in which latter- Figure lis a side view of a portion of a furnace and my invention applied to the same. Fig. 2 is a broken vertical transverse section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a broken vertical longitudinal section of the same in the line x of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is another plan of construction, which may be adopted in employ -ing a part of my invention. Fig. 5 is abrolcen detailview. Y

Heretofore the steam-jet annuli or pipes of steam-blowers have been so constructed and applied in connection with anair-cone that the central passage within the circle of the annulus has been obstructed by a radial or cross induction tube or tubes, which retard the flow of the air through the cone as it is drawn by the currents or jets of steam. This construction also involves unnecessary expense for metal tubing.

By referring to the annexed drawings it will be seen that my steam-j et annulus A is formed with an airway, a, which is wholly open and unobstructed. To thus construct the annulus and employ it within a conc, B, upon the ashpit section of a furnace, D, the following appliances are provided: On the jet-annulus A, which is made hollow and of either wrought or cast metal, a hollow extension or arm, b, is formed or provided, and by means of this arm 5o the steam-supply blast-pipe E is connected by a suitable screw fastening or coupling, as at c.

If the steam-pipe is entered at the iiared end of the air-cone, an angular or bent coupling, as shown in Fig. 4, will be provided, but if it be passed down through the periphery of the cone, as shown in Fig. 2, the coupling will be as shown in said Fig. 2. The annulus has its steam-jet passages d so located or so formed with a slight inward inclination as to direct the steam from against the inner surfaces of the air-cone in the manner illustrated by the drawings. This result may also be accomplished by making the smaller end of the cone of a diameter great enough to allow all the jets to pass out on a straight line, free of the inner surface of the cone. The annulus is made of considerably less diameter than the cone at the point where it is fitted therein, in order that an airway, c', all around the cone shall be formed between the cone and the annulus. The airways a and c, together with the inward convergence of the jet-passages, insure a free flow of the air outside and within the circle of the annulus. The steam cannot, by striking against the surface of the cone and becoming a connected hollow circular body or film, close up the airway outside the annulus; neither is there an obstructing cross tube or tubes which will interfere with the flow of air through the central passage formed by the annulus. In order to steady the annulus and confine it in position within the cone, another extension or arm, b, is provided upon the annulus, at a point dametrically opposite the arm b. This arm b is formed with a shoulder, e, which bears against the inner surface of the cone, and it is also provided with a screwthread, f, on its protruding end, outside the air-cone B. A washer, g, and screw-cap nut h are placed upon the said protruding end, and by turning up the cap h against the washer g said washer and the shoulder e of the arm b are made to bind against the cone B and hold the annulus A from moving.

The arm b may be made hollow and be in communication with the annulus and the atmosphere, so that by taking off the cap and opening a larger discharge for the steam than the jet-passages the course of the greater part ofthe steam will be through the said hollow arm and out into the atmosphere, and thus the jetpassages and the annulus can be blown out77 IOO or opened, so as to work more perfectly when the cap is again screwed on and the steam is forced along with air into the mass of fuel upon the grate.

Vhile I consider the steadying-arm b of great importance, as also the constructing of this arm hollow for the purpose of blowing off sediment, still I do not confine myself to using this second arm, If, and to having this arm hollow, as the steam-j et annulus can be very usefully employed within a cone by constructing and applying it in the manner shown by the modified plan, Fig 4.

The air-cone may be of any desired length, so as to carry the mingled steam and air to any point desired. rlhe steam-blower may be used in any place desi-red upon a furnace.

The great utility of my construction lies in its exceeding simplicity and cheapness of construction, and in its affording the requisite quantity of air along with the steam, the air having a free, unobstructed course through the circle ofthe annulus, and not being impeded by sheets of steam outside the annulus. The cap at the end of the arm b answers all the purposes of an expensive blow-off cock, while the arm b' answers as a blow-ofi" pipe; and these parts, in connection with the shoulder e and washer g, serve as the means whereby to fasten and steady the annulus within the cone B.

In the drawings, Fig. 2, the cone B is shown fitted in the side wall, C, of the ash-pit of the furnace D, and the annulus A is represented as coupled to a steam-supply pipe by its eX- tension or arm Z), and fastened to the cone B by its arm I/ and the appliances c, g, and h, and this construction and mode of application I believe is preferable to the plan shown in Fig. 4, on account of steadiness and capability of blowing out the annulus wlienev er it and its jets are fouled by sediment or other causes. Great necessity has long existed for a furnace which would burn the waste masses of coal, called euhm found in mining regions. My invention answers well for this purpose, as it supplies in proper proportions mingled quantities of steam and air to the compacted fuel upon the grate E, and produces speedy and perfect combustion.

I am aware ofthe patent granted to Hancock, March 1, 1864, No. 41,7 70, and do not claim a central cross tube with central induction branch pipe, such tube connecting a series of hollow perforated rings, as the design of my invention is to avoid obstructing the central air-passage as much as possible, and also to have the air-passage outside my perforated ring unobstructed to as great a degree as practicable; and to this end I have extended the steam-induction and supporting tube or tubes immediately from the periphery of the ringtube, and provided for supplying the steam at the periphery of the said ring-tube.

I also am aware of the patent granted to Jones, May 29, 1877, No. 191,438, and do not claim an induction pipe applied centrally across straight perforated tubes, as my invention consists of a ring-tube perforated and having a hollow arm or arms extended from its periphery, such ring-tube being applied within a cone and having its center unobstructed and the passage outside the ring as open as possible, while one of the hollow arms serves as an induction-pipe and support, while the other serves as a support and blow-off, 7 said latter arm also having a screw-cap, which serves as a clamp, and also as a means for closing or opening the blow-off passage.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hollow steam-injecting annulus provided with jet-perforations and a supporting-extension outside its central air-passage, in combination with an air-cone, whereby an unobstructed central passage for the air drawn through the cone by the steam-j ets is secured within the entire circle of the annulus, while an outside airway is also maintained between the cone and the annulus, substantially as described.

2. Ahollow steam-injecting annulus having an unobstructed central passage, and provided with jet-perforations and two supporting-arms outside its central passage, one of which arms is hollow and connected with the steam-supply pipe, in combination with an air-cone,

` whereby steam is conducted from the supplypipe into the annulus at its periphery, discharged therefrom, and mingled with air within the cone on the inside and outside of the annulus, substantially as described.

. 3. In combination with an air-cone, B, the steam-injecting annulus A, having an unobstructed central passage, and provided with jet-perforations and with hollow supportingextensions b b outside its central passage, one arm having a shoulder, e, and a screw-cap, whereby the annulus is secured in position, and also the steam may be employed by removal of the cap for cleaning the annulus and its jet-perforations, substantially as described.

4. In combination with an air-cone, B, the steam-injecting annulus A, having an unobstructed central passage, and provided with jet-perforations, which are arranged so as to prevent the steamj ets striking upon the inner surface of the cone, and thereby insuring an uninterrupted airway between the cone and the steam-jets flowing from the annulus, substantially as described.

VILLIAM MCCLAVE. Witnesses:

B. G. MORGAN, B. R. GRIFFITHS.

IOO

IIO 

